Five Players To Watch During Wild Card Weekend

Added on Jan 06, 2012 by Scott in

NFL

The journey to Super Bowl XLVI begins tomorrow with a quartet of Wild Card games. Five of the eight teams taking the field didn’t participate in last year’s postseason tournament including Houston, making their first ever playoff appearance, and Detroit, making their first since 1999. Three of the last four champions took the Wild Card route, so there’s a decent chance the eventual Super Bowl-winner will come out of this weekend. Here are five players to keep an eye on.

Johnathan Joseph (Texans) – The ex-Bengal cornerback was one of the best free agent acquisitions of the year. He tied for the team lead with four interceptions and solidified a secondary that was the worst in football in 2010. While it’s unlikely he’ll be exclusively matched up with A.J. Green, he did help limit the stud rookie wideout to five catches for 59 yards in Houston’s Week 14 win. Limiting Cincinnati’s big plays down the field will be critical to advancing.

Isaac Redman (Steelers) – With Rashard Mendenhall out for the playoffs, the Steelers will turn to Redman to handle the bulk of the running back duties. The third-year pro from tiny Bowie State has shown flashes over the last two seasons and is fresh off 92 yards and a touchdown in the season finale. Denver’s rush defense has been beat up by Marion Barber and C.J. Spiller in recent weeks. Pittsburgh will look to grab an early lead, let their defense take over, then use Redman to grind the clock.

Jason Pierre-Paul (Giants) – Pierre-Paul is the latest Giants pass rusher to make a name for himself. His 16.5 sacks ranked fourth in the league. Like most quarterbacks, Matt Ryan doesn’t respond well to constant pressure. Falcons left tackle Will Svitek is playing well, but will have his hands full with Pierre-Paul’s speed off the edge. If Big Blue can rattle Ryan they can protect a vulnerable back seven from being torched by White, Jones and Gonzo.

Michael Turner (Falcons) – Turner had the quietest 1340-yard, 11 touchdown season in recent memory. The bruising back must get going early to balance the offense. Atlanta is 5-1 when he rushes for over 100 yards. The Giants are average against the run, but have been stout as of late. A big game from Turner will allow Ryan to utilize play-action deep throws to attack a weak secondary.

Cliff Avril (Lions) – The Lions defense faces a daunting task on Saturday night. Drew Brees and the Saints are undefeated at home. Their offense ranks number one in total yards and passing yards. For Detroit to have any chance of springing an upset, the front four must put heat on Brees. Avril leads the team with 11 sacks as a pass rushing specialist; he’s capable of dominating, but it will take a career effort in this one.